Cold War
by Okmin
Summary: A hundred years has passed since humanity's first battle with the Covenant. Now there is a new enemy that can neither defeat nor be defeated by the UNSC. Result? Stalemate.    Pilot chapter to see if there's any interest. Rated M for strong language.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own ideas, and even those I'm not sure about.**

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><p>"What did I miss?"<p>

"Here's the official report; bunch of coverups and bullshit if you ask me. That goes in the shredder... You want to know what happened? Here, some light reading to bring you up to speed."

"Com transcripts?"

"All we have left."

**Orbital Defense Platform**_** Crown 7**_

**UNSC Colony World **_**Harvest, **_**Epsilon Indi system**

**February 2, 2625 (Military Calendar)**

2625:02:02:23:00:01:17

UNSC _Nebula _on routine patrol

Nebula - Crown, prowler _Nebula_ reporting.

Crown 7 - Go ahead _Nebula_.

N - There's nothing out here. Just us and a very, very lonely comet.

C - Acknowledged.

N - As usual.

C - Lose the attitude lieutenant.

N - I've been out here for a month.

C - Your point?

N - I think I have a right to have an attitude. Nothing ever happens out here.

C - Uh... How big's the comet?

N - 'bout four hundred yards. Why, you wanna to mine it? Too small to do anything with.

C - Harvest needs all the water we can get.

N - Damn ironic. Didn't this place used to be some kind of farm planet?

C - I dunno. Place was glassed though.

N - Really? I couldn't tell from all glass on the surface.

C - Have a little respect, will ya?

N - Whatever. I'll have some respect when HIGHCOM gets their heads out of their asses and calls off the damn junta. Why the hell do we need a military buildup? War ended seventy years ago.

C - You know this is being logged?

N - So?

C - You're bordering on treason there.

N - What're you gonna do about it, ensign? Lock me up? I'd rather be in the brig than out here.

C - [sigh] Treason equals firing squad dipsh—

N - First amendment rights?

C - That continent doesn't exist anymore. '97, remember?

N - Damn.

C - Get back to your patrol, november.

N - Aye aye captain.

C - And can the sarcasm.

N - Aluminum or tin? [laughter]

C - Right, we've got you down for a psychiatric checkup in August. I'm moving you up to next Wednesday.

N - You can shove your psychology up your— [alarm] Huh. That's interesting.

C - What?

N - Slipspace anomaly. Just one and I got nothing on optics. Might be a scanner glitch. [alarm] We scheduled for a shipment today?

C - Uh... Hold on.

N - [alarm] Running diagnostics.

C - That's a negative. No record of any ship supposed to come in today.

N - Okay. Nothing wrong with my equipment. [alarm] Someone turn that damn thing off! Thank you.

C - Elites? ONI keeps saying they might attack.

N - You actually believe that bull? HIGHCOM made that up as an excuse for taking over and building up. Won't last long if you ask me. Last dictatorship to go into an arms race went broke.

C - Last democracy in an arms race collapsed violently. Now get back to that anomaly. I'm calling the admiral.

N - This better be a very lost freighter.

C - So much for nothing happening out here.

2625:02:02:23:09:13:64

System alert issued

Crown Actual - This is Vice Admiral Clarke to all UNSC forces near Harvest. We have unconfirmed reports of a single in-system slipspace rupture occurring one minute ago. I've ordered the deployment of the all our prowlers to investigate. Until we determine whether or not it was just an equipment malfunction, all personnel are to be on highest alert.

2625:02:02:23:47:56:39

Prowler com chatter

Dusk - Anyone see anything?

Nebula - Negative.

Umbra - Nothing.

Immortal - Me neither.

Razor - I think... no, that's a dead pixel.

N - Might wanna get that checked out.

R - Yeah, I know. Haven't been in for maintenance since July.

D - Focus?

I - I got something on UV scope. Near EI one.

U - Which planet's one?

N - Closest to the sun.

R - I don't see anything.

D - Nothing here. You sure you saw something _Immortal_?

I - Affirmative. Tracking now. I'll send you guys the visual.

R - See it now.

D - Me too. All ships move in for a closer look.

N - Why's it glowing?

D - Reflectivity?

N - Maybe. What is it?

D - No idea. Doesn't look Covenant.

U - Forerunner?

R - Doubt it.

N - So, uh, why's it got sparks on it now?

I - ONI database has... zero matches. I'm streaming this visual to Crown.

Crown Actual - _Immortal_, you realize that thing is on a collision course with our star?

I - Uh...

D - Maybe we should get outa here.

N - Seconded.

C - Roger that. All prowlers pull back to Harvest. I'm briefing ONI as we speak.

D - Affirmative. Head home everyone.

N - Uh, you guys still watching that thing by the sun?

I - No, why?

N - Take a look.

I - What is that?

D - Fuck... All prowlers prepare to—

[SIGNAL LOST]

**Office of Naval Intelligence Headquarters**

**UNSC Colony World **_**Reach**_**, Epsilon Eridani system**

**February 3, 2625 (Military Calendar)**

2625:02:03:00:04:36:07

Transmission to HIGHCOM

Reach - We just lost Epsilon Indi.

Earth - Harvest is... gone?

R - No sir. Epsilon Indi. The star.

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><p><strong>Poor Harvest. Okay, so. Review, 'cause this was a pilot chapter. Meaning I don't write anything else unless you guys like the basic plot idea. So I'll lay it out:<strong>

**Yes, the UNSC is a dictatorship now. Not necessarily a _bad_ dictatorship, but there will be an Insurrection.**

**And the whole story is NOT going to be com logs. Just this part and maybe some other times when it's absolutely needed.**

**Obviously everyone from the games is dead by now, so... all OCs, obviously.**

**New enemy is NOT the Covenant remnants or some Forerunners who somehow survived the Halo firing. It's a completely new faction.**

**No flames. Flames are useless.  
><strong>


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